This tea flight presents a snapshot of the styles of Japanese black tea (called wakoucha) that are being produced today. Unlike sencha, there is no standardised production model, so modern wakoucha encompasses a wide spectrum of tastes and styles: represented in this sample set by these three teas:
The Honyama and Kumamoto teas present the more modern style, influenced by Chinese and Taiwanese production styles, while the Yame tea is more Indian in style, in part due to Benihikari’s assamica heritage.
Wakoucha
Honyama Koushun
This wakoucha converts Koushun’s signature bright floral aroma into a powerful bouquet of dark fruits and flowers, with a sweet and juicy taste to match.
Wakoucha
Yame Benihikari
Sweet and elegant, with a subtle herbaceous astringency and invigorating aroma, this tea makes good use of Benihikari’s Assam heritage while retaining a distinctly Japanese flavour.
Wakoucha
Kumamoto Zairai
Made from 70 year-old seed-grown tea plants that capture the unique tastes of Kumamoto, this delightfully complex first flush black tea has notes of nuts, spices, pastries, and stone fruits, coupled with a long-lasting finish.
